Red Cross Receives $90,000 Donation From Kaiser Permanente to Support Wildfire Relief

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Jun 28, 2012, 02:15 ET

DENVER, June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As wildfires continue to rage along Colorado's Front Range, the American Red Cross is working around the clock to meet the immediate needs of the community, providing shelter, comfort and supplies to those displaced by the fires. To assist with those efforts, the Red Cross is pleased to announce Kaiser Permanente's generous donation of $90,000 to support Red Cross 2012 Colorado Wildfire Relief. This donation is one of the largest gifts the Red Cross has received in response to the 2012 wildfires and will go directly to Red Cross efforts to help Colorado communities prepare for, respond to and recover from current and future wildfire devastation in our state.

"These fires have been devastating for so many people in Colorado, including some of our Kaiser Permanente members and employees. Our donation will provide the American Red Cross with additional resources to help Colorado families during their time of need," said Donna Lynne, DrPH, Kaiser Permanente Colorado Group President. "We hope others in the business community will consider giving what they can to support the ongoing relief efforts in our state."

"We are grateful to Kaiser Permanente for their generosity and for serving as a role model of the important role businesses play in helping our communities prepare for and recover from devastating disasters," said Gino Greco, CEO of the American Red Cross Mile High Region. "Businesses play an integral role in the resilience of their communities, both through their financial support as well as their own ability to withstand and recover from disasters."

When disasters like the current wildfire strike and people need to flee their homes, the Red Cross is there to provide a safe place to stay, a warm meal and emotional support. Since the wildfires began on June 9, hundreds of Colorado residents have found a safe haven at Red Cross shelters across the state. The Red Cross and its partners have also served tens of thousands of snacks and meals; distributed well over 4,000 relief items like disaster clean-up kits; and logged more than 3,000 health and mental health contacts with affected residents and disaster workers.

How to Help:
The best way the public can help these efforts is by making a donation to support Red Cross disaster relief. Please visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation via your cell phone bill.

Businesses are also encouraged to become a corporate partner of the Red Cross and to take steps to improve their own preparedness and resilience in the face of disaster by becoming a Red Cross Ready Rating member. Find out more at www.ReadyRating.org.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 9 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Contact:
Red Cross: Patricia Billinger, Regional Communications Director
303-607-4766 | [email protected]

Kaiser Permanente:
Amy Whited, 303-344-7518; cell: 303-746-1632
[email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente